Quote Originally Posted by jack
Why is this your business?
Why is it not? I'm not breaking a law following someone.

Are you a PI? A cop? A fucking security guard? Batman? Paul Blart? Do you have a uniform on, or a god damn t-shirt, or any other indicator for whatever bullshit reason you might possibly have had for being behind me (costume shops do exist, though)?
Do I need a uniform on to go for a walk?

The only reason you follow a person is to pickpocket said person. Or to stalk said person, aka you are a pantyshot guy. Or you are law enforcement, and you are doing your fucking job. Said person becomes your target.
Or you are a concerned resident who decides to go for a walk to make sure that guy isn't doing anything he shouldn't be doing. This is not illegal.

BTW, NW is not law enforcement. Just making sure we are on the same page.
I'm not arguin it is. I'm arguing that there's nothing wrong with going for a walk, and that I am perfectly entitled to go that way, in the same direction as that dodgy looking guy.

A neigbourhood watch is just communication.
Right. So you're being very specific with the definition of "neighbourhood watch" while being very loose with the word "stalking".

Going for a walk is not illegal. Walking the same route as someone else is not illegal. Thinking you can differentiate between "following someone" and "walking in the same direction as someone" is nonsense.

Would you not feel threatened if someone is intently and purposefully following you around, late at night, and you are the only two people on the street?
I'm glad you're finally getting yo an important question.

Would I feel threatened? It depends.
How closely am I being followed? Are they maintaining distance or getting closer? What if I walk faster? And one more very, very important question... do I have anything to hide? I mean, is calling the police an option if I am truly afriad of this person's intentions?

I have walked late at night in town centre many, many times. I have lost count of the times I have kept an eye on someone walking the same route as me to ensure they're not gaining on me. Is that fear? I call it caution. If you're out and about alone, late at night, you have a responsibility to protect yourself. Keep an eye on who's around, make sure you know where you are and where you're going. If you feel threatened, fucking run, or call the police.

I mean sure you can easily argue a man should have the right to walk around any time without fear. Sure. A man also has a right to take a walk without fear of being accused of stalking What's the difference between going for a walk and folloing someone? You need to be very clear, legal clarity is needed to further this debate.

With so many other paths to take, he takes the exact one you take, speeding up and slowing down, and even stopping exactly when you do.
Wait, you think you're being followed, are in fear, and you stop? Then you're an idiot.

If I'm walking around some neighbourhood, and then a random person starts following me intently for like 2 blocks and I notice it, I will stop and see if you walk by. If I stop and you stop, then I go and you go, we WILL undoubtedly have a confrontation because why the fuck are you following me?
Right, well if you're going to stop and have a confrontation, I don't think you can use the word "fear" to describe your emotions at this moment in time. Furthermore, you're doing someone wrong now. You're turning a walk into a conversation. You might be harassing him now, I mean he was doing nothing illegal, and now your are confronting him, demanding an explanation. You're infinging on his right to go for a walk, while he was no infringing any of your right, unless you're going to argue you have the right to not be "followed", in which case you're going to need to clarify legally what that means.

I'd probably say something along the lines of "why the fuck are you following me for"?
So you're escalating this situation. This is highly irresponsible.

Now, keeping in mind that I'm actually big and black, unlike Martin here who was actually just a black kid, there is a non-zero chance the fucking coward following me for no reason would most likely fear for his life because I asked him a question and kill me.
"coward"
"no reason"

This is just rhetoric, but you know nothing about this stranger. How do you know he's not simply going for a walk? How do you know he's not some kind neighbourhood watch type keeping an eye on the streets? Why is that a problem for you? What gives you the right to interrupt his walk with confrontation, while he doesn't have the right to walk the same way you're going? How do you think you're in the right when you stop someone you don't know and challenge them?

Because THAT'S WHAT HE WAS LOOKING FOR. A CONFRONTATION.
So are you. You stopped.